World War II Timeline

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World War II Timeline1. Japanese Invasion of Manchuria7. Neutrality Act of 1937Date: Passed in May, 19372. Neutrality Act of 1935Date: Signed on August 31, 193519. Molotov-Ribbentrop PactDate: Signed on August 23, 19394.German Reoccupation of the RhinelandDate: March 7, 19363. Italian Invasion of EthiopiaDate: October 3, 19356. German Involvement in the Spanish Civil War193119321933193419351936193719381939194019411942Date of Event: September 18, 1931Description of Event: A large part of Chinese territory (Manchuria) was seized by the Japanese government and military because it had many resources. The League of nations became suspicious and created a committee to investigate Japan's interest in gaining territories in China. Many experts believe that the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria was the first phase of the beginning of World War 2."League of Nations: report on Japanese invasion of Manchuria (1933)." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11. 12.13.14.15.16.17.21.23.24.1.Manchuria in redDescription: The Neutrality Act of 1935 made it illegal to trade arms and other war equipment with any party involved in a war. This act was made by isolationists that did not want America to become involved with the evident conflicts in Europe and Asia. This act was also set to expire within six months.Political cartoon about the Neutrality Act of 1935Springer, Paul J., and Paul G. Pierpaoli Jr. "U.S. Neutrality Acts: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Description: In 1935 Ethiopia or Abyssinia was part of the League of Nations and this made a difficult situation for the countries of Great Britain and France when Italy invaded. It was difficult because both Great Britain and France pledged to the League of Nations to do what uphold principles, which were broken, when Italy invaded. On the other hand, both countries wanted to keep Italy as an ally against Germany. Map of invasionDoerr, Paul William. "Hoare-Laval Agreement: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Description: In 1925 the German government signed the Locarno Acts which in one part stated that Germany would continue to demilitarize the Rhineland (German territory west of the Rhine river). Then on March 7, 1936 Adolf Hitler only sent 22,000 men to take back the territory from the French. France did nothing in return so Germany took the territory and Hitler gained prominence while France was looked down on by it's allies for not defending a key piece of land.Rhineland in yellowTucker, Spencer C. "German Remilitarization of the Rhineland: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. 5. Spanish Civil WarDate: July 17, 1936 - April 1, 1939Description: The war was fought by the Republicans, who were loyal to the democratic Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, who were rebels and wanted to stay traditional in Spanish ways and have Fascism. In the endthe Nationalists, led by Francisco Franco, won due to support from other countries like Germany. The total casualties are still argued today but most estimates say about600,000 casualties on both sides.Map of territories held by the Republicans (red) and the Nationalists (blue) during the civil warRice, Roger L., and Tucker, Spencer C. "Spanish Civil War: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Date: July 29, 1936 - End of WarDescription: About a week into the war, Hitler agreed to help the Nationalists because a Fascist victory would let Germany have access to Spanish resources and it would take away attention from Germany's military equipment buildup. Also by November, the Germans formed the Condor Legion which consisted of 5,000 men and 100 aircraft to help the Nationalists throughout the war. One of the main reasons Germany helped in the war was to use it as a testing ground for new weapons and strategies like carpet bombing.A Ju 52 plane (one type of plane Germany supplied during the war)Rice, Roger L., and Tucker, Spencer C. "Spanish Civil War: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Date: Enacted March 11, 1941Description: The Lend-Lease Act was a law that permitted President Roosevelt to give aid to any country in need of security assistance. The law was used specifically to help Great Britain, who was struggling to defend themselves from nazi Germany during World War II. Overall, this law provided $50 billion to American allies over the course of the war. 35. Lend-Lease Act 1941

Letter sent by the president to England to describe their plans with the new law.Foreign minister Molotov (USSR) and foreign minister Ribbentrop (Germany) shaking hands after the creation of the pact. Description: This pact, also known as the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, was passed to say that Germany and Soviet Russia would solve their border disputes peacefully. Secret protocol in the pact eventually lead to resolving the borders Germany, the Soviet Union, as well as putting Poland and the Baltic provinces under Soviet supervision. Although Stalin thought this would end Hitler's pursuit of eastern Europe, Germany eventually invaded Europe, and the USSR two years later, breaking the treaty. 11. The Massacre of NankingDate: Japanese entered the city on December 13, 1937Description: The Massacre of Nanjing (Nanking) refers to a six week period of horrific acts after Japanese troops captured the capital in the Jiangsu Province in China. The Japanese army massacred many civilian men and the hopeless Chinese army which caused the West to have sympathy for China. Total casualties are estimated to be around 42,000 to 300,000 with about 20,000 women being raped and then killed.36. Atlantic Charter Date: Drafted August 9-12, 1941 and was publicly issued August 14 by the US and Britain.Description: After two years of fighting Germany and a year fighting Italy, England was in need of help and resources from other countries. Although the United States was neutral, President Roosevelt provided help to the British people. To further bond the two nations, they drafted the Atlantic trial to describe the principles and reasons for engaging in armed conflict, which ended up being the reasoning that all the Ally Powers use in World War II.A copy of the Atlantic Charter of 1941Japanese soldiers in NankingRoberts, Priscilla. "Rape of Nanjing: Chinese Civil War and Communist Revolution." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. 28. Evacuation at DunkirkDescription: The Germans had cut off British Expeditionary Forces from Belgium, forcing them to be surrounded and to rely on the city of Dunkirk for protection. The BEF organized a massive evacuation of the city, called Operation DYNAMO, and they evacuated some 365,000 troops, of whom about 225,000 were British. They abandoned in all gear, but most of the soldiers escaped safely, and it made Britain come to the realization that this war was in fact real, and could last a long time. Date: From May 27 to June 4, 1940 The abandoned city of DunkirkDescription: This act was made in response to Spanish civil war and banned arm sales to all parties involved in war. It also did not allow U.S. ships to carry anyone or anything that belonged to the parties and unlike the Neutrality Act of 1935, this one did not have an expiration date. This act was made to maintain neutrality but America still supplied weapons to China when Japan invaded because neither country officially declared war on each other. "isolationism in World War II." American Government. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. 9. FDR's Quarantine SpeechDate: Speech given on October 5, 1937Description: President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a speech in Chicago, Illinois that explained to public what was happening around the world at that time. He explained the events and acts of war happening in Europe and Asia and how they have led to disturbance in the U.S. and other countries. He also said that he wishes to maintain peace and neutrality in America but he will what is necessary to prevent war.FDR giving the Quarantine Speech"Franklin D. Roosevelt: Quarantine speech (1937)." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. 10. Panay IncidentDate: December 12, 1937 at 1:30 pm - 2:04 pmDescription: The U.S. navy gunboat Panay was escorting 3 Standard Oil barges up the Yangtze River in Nanjing, China and the crew members put American flags up and painted them on the boats. Then at 1:30 pm, Japanese bombers flew over and dropped bombs on all 4 boats and after a little fight the Panay and 2 of the 3 barges were sunk. The Japanese government apologized and paid for damages saying it was an accident but intercepted radio signals said otherwise and the American people only became more anti-Japan.USS Panay sinkingEnt, Uzal W. "Panay Incident." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.8. Japanese Invasion of China/Marco Polo BridgeDate: Started July 7, 1937Description: On July 7, 1937 Japanese and Chinese troops had a skirmish on the famous Marco Polo Bridge after Japanese soldiers fired blanks and the Chinese retaliated with live rounds. Although no one was injured, it started a ripple effect and Japan wanted control of North China while the Chinese government wanted to maintain control of it. When neither country could compromise, it resulted in an eight year war between Japan and China (second Sino-Japanese War) that only ended when Japan surrendered to the Allies at the end of World War 2.Roberts, Priscilla. "Marco Polo Bridge Incident: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. Japanese troops crossing the Marco Polo Bridge12. AnschlussDate: March 12, 1938Description: Anschluss is a term referencing the the joining of Austria and Germany in 1938 and this was not allowed by the Treaty of Versailles. At this time, Hitler did not have to resources he needed to keep production of military equipment at he pace he wanted so he decided to take his homeland of Austria. When Austria asked for a public vote, Hitler mobilized troops and took it over anyway while the rest of Europe watched and did nothing.18. Pact of Steel

Description: After invading Ethiopia, Italy was on its own, ith no real countries to call allies. When Hitler was rising into stronger power on Europe, Benito Mussolini determined joining forces would be beneficial for himself and the country. The Pact of Steel was created, which provided both political and military ties as World War II moved closer, but Italy remained neutral. This pact was the first step that ended up creating the Axis Powers in 1940.Date: May 22, 1939German territory after the annex of Austria15. German Annex of the SudetenlandDate: September 29, 1938Description: The leaders of France, Great Britain, Italy, and Germany got together to discuss the Sudetenland. The Sudetenland was a small part of Czechoslovakia that was almost entirely ethnically German. Adolf Hitler argued the point that it was basically Germany anyway so the other leaders gave it to him to maintain peace in Europe.Barnhill, John. "Anschluss: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. 31. Battle of Britain 1940Date: July 10, 1940 - October 31, 1940Description: The Battle of Britain was one of the first battles waged primarily in the skies over Britain. Hitler was trying to flex his aviation muscles by using the largest aerial bombing to that point, but the Royal Air Force demonstrated their skill and handed Hitler his first military "loss" of World War II. The toll was harsh on both sides, as the loss of life was significant, and the amount of aircraft destroyed totaled over 2700 planes. Part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland (Dark brown)"Munich Pact (1938)." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. 17. German Annex of CzechoslovakiaDate: March 15, 1939Description: After Hitler took the part of Czechoslovakia known as the Sudetenland, he broke the promise he made at the Munich Conference and took the rest of Czechoslovakia. This territorial gain helped Germany because the well equipped and trained 400,000 man army of Czechoslovakia changed from anti-Germany to pro-Germany. Then, during the war, the Slovak people had an uprising against the German military and causes trouble for them.38. Battle of El AlameinDescription: The Battle of El Alamein was fought in the North African deserts between the Allied countries and the Axis "Africa Korps." It is considered one of the most decisive battles of the war for the Allies, as General Montgomery (Britain) out-dueled General Rommel(Germany). This lead to the retreat of the Africa Korps, as well as the eventual German surrender of the region in 1943. Date: July 1-27, 194216. "Peace For Our Time" SpeechDate: September 30, 1938Description: This was a brief address given by the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Neville Chamberlain. He discussed why a part of Czechoslovakia was given to Germany in the agreement reached by the leaders of France, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy during the Munich Conference. Chamberlain also assured that this agreement would prevent an outbreak of war in Europe for a long time.34. Selective Service Act 1940Neville Chamberlain giving the "Peace For Our Time" speech"Neville Chamberlain: Peace For Our Time speech (1938)." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. 13. Adoption of the RAINBOW War PlansDate: 1938 - March 1939 Description: The Rainbow war plans were different plans created by the Joint Board and U.S. Navy Board that corresponded to certain situations that could happen during the course of World War II. There were 5 plans in total named Rainbow 1, Rainbow 2, ect and there was changes made to the plans throughout the war. One example of a plan was that Rainbow 1 called for a defensive position in the Pacific behind Hawaii until the Atlantic fleet could help them be offensive.

Date: September 16, 1940Description: The Selective Service Act was the first peacetime military draft in US history. All males ages 21-36 had to sign up, and they would be selected at random for the draft, and service would be for one year in the Western Hemisphere. This act was brought on due to the early stages of war in Europe, and set the standard for war drafting for the next thirty years.Men signing up for the draft. 22. Neutrality Act 1939Date: November 4, 1939Description: The Neutrality Act of 1939 was the last of the four declaring neutrality when in came to the war raging all over the world. This act permitted the U.S. to trade weapons and supplies without being considered an aggressor. This allowed Britain to receive support from the United States without us entering the war, that is, as of that time. 29. German invasion of Soviet Russia 1941Date: June 22, 1941Description: On June 22nd, Germany began its invasion of Soviet Russia with the hopes of gaining more land, controlling their oil fields, and exterminating the communist ideals of the nation. The German forces were broken down into three groups, one through the Baltic region, one through central Russia, and one to the south. Although Hitler believed he could capture the country by winter, Russian conflicts lasted most of the war, and in result, Germany never fully controlled Russia. What resulted was an immense loss of life, and one of the bloodiest portions of World War 2.33. Destroyers for Bases Deal 1940Date: September, 3 1940Description: Britain was running low on naval ships, only operating 68 navel destroyers in 1940. The Destroyers for bases deal was executed by executive order from President Roosevelt, and Britain received 50 World War I–vintage destroyers in return for giving the United States rights to British bases in North America and the Caribbean Islands. America claimed it wasn't breaking neutrality, and in reality got more than they gave to England, as the ships were in such poor condition. 39. Battle of Stalingrad 1941Description: As the Germans advanced through Russia, they left the city of Stalingrad uncaptured, which is considered a military faux pas. Hitler ordered an attack on Stalingrad, which proved to be an unwise decision. The Russians trapped the German army in the city, cutting them off from supplies. Against Hitler's orders, the Germans surrendered, and 91,000 Germans were taken prisoners, as well as the supplies they carried with them. This is widely thought of as one of the turning points in World War II, as well as the darkest days for the Germans. Date: July 17, 1942-Feb. 2, 194330. US Navy Escort of Merchant Ships 1941Date: July 1941Description: Although the Lend-Lease Act gave military aid to Britain, where was still the fear that the Germans could sink British merchant ships who were receiving the supplies. They asked for the help of the US Navy, who had far many more naval destroyers for use. Roosevelt proclaimed that the Navy should convoy the military shipments as far as Iceland, which would lead to many problems with German U-Boats looking to cause havoc in the waters. US Naval Destroyer37. Arming of Merchant Ships 1941Date: Mid-November, 1941Description: After a series of altercations with German U-Boats, including on October 17th when eleven men on the Kearny died in a confrontation, President was fed up with neutrality. The US broke their ties with the neutrality act, and gave merchant ships the permission to arm themselves ad enter war zones. The US thought this would lead to conflict with the Germans, but in fact the Japanese were the ones to watch out for. The USS Kearny, which lost eleven men during an altercation32. Embargo on Raw Materials to Japan 1941Description: The Japanese military was dependent on many American exports, such as: steel, iron, oil, and aviation gasoline. After much criticism by the American people, the United states from distribution of their goods to Japan unless they backed off of their forces in China. The Japanese had a choice to either agree or do something more drastic, and eventually they chose to rage war with their former trading partner. Date: October 16, 1940 - July 26, 1941The Japanese Army27. Battle of Denmark Strait/ Sinking of Bismarck 1941Description: The Battle of Denmark Strait was the second battle between the British Royal Navy,who was looking to preserve Ally trading, and German Navy, who were looking to break out of the North Atlantic to attack Ally shipping. The gloriouis German Bismarck sunk the HMS Hood within the first 20 minutes of the battle, but the Prince of Wales was determined to continue the fighting until the bitter end, when they broke off the engagement. Although it was technically considered as a victory for the Germans, major damage to the Bismarck's fuel tanks lead to its eventual downfall three days later, which was in Hitler's eyes a huge loss of German prestige.

Date: May 24, 1941The Bismarck20. German/Soviet Invasion of PolandDate: September 1, 1939 - October 6, 1939Description: Following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Soviet Russia and Germany, they declared the invasion on Poland so they could annex and divide the country. Although small, the Polish force gave their all to protect their independence, but after the loss October 6 at the Battle of Kock, Germany and Soviet Russia seized control of Poland. This is regarded as the strart of World War II, which slowly evolved from a war for Poland to a war for Europe. German military tanks entering Poland23. Soviet Invasion of FinlandDate: November 30, 1939 - March 13, 1940Description: The Soviet invasion of Finland resulted in a war (Winter War) after Joseph Stalin wanted over 2,000 square miles of land in Finland to protect Russia from a possible attack by Germany. Neither country could come to an agreement so Russia invaded and in doing so was expelled from the League of Nations after they deemed it illegal. Although Russia had an exceptionally larger and more equipped army, they had a lot more fatalities than the Finnish army, but in the end Russia sent 1.5 million men into Finland and won the war.26. German Invasion of France 1940Finnish Army using skis as transportation24. German Invasion of Denmark/NorwayDate: April 9, 1940Description: During World War 2, Germany was getting iron ore from Sweden so Great Britain looked to cut off this supply by controlling the Norwegian waters (Norway was neutral at this time). Germany reacted to this started to occupy Denmark and Norway in a plan known as Operation Weserubung. There was a battle but the British underestimated the scale of the invasion and Germany took Norway and Denmark, which would have helped Germany take Iceland and control the North Sea if the war lasted longer.Rauch, Steven J., and Spencer C. Tucker. "Finnish-Soviet War (1939–1940): World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Map of InvasionCordier, Sherwood S. "German Conquest of Norway: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. 21. French/British Declaration of WarDate: September 3, 1939Description: Winston Churchill was a politician opposed Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy towards Hitler and saw a war coming. His warnings were realized after Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and both Great Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Winston Churchill later became Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1940-1945 for the majority of the war.Map of German territory after all of Czechoslovakia was annexedPanthaki, Neville, and Spencer C. Tucker. "Czechoslovakia: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Description: While attacking the Lower Countries in May of 1940, German forces made their way through weak points in the french defenses, and attacked through the Somme river southward into the country. They destroyed the French Army, which capitulated June 21, 1940, and then a ministry lead by Marshal Henri Phillipe Pétain asked for a truce. Under this armistice, they allowed Germany to occupy Northern France, which lead to a brutal occupation, and eventually the intervention of American forces in 1944 (D-Day).Date: May 10, 1940- June 22, 1940 (France Surrenders)25. German Invasion of the Low Countries 1941Description: In May of 1940, Germany launched its offensive against neutral Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg, as well as France. The German forces believed that the strongest point of the French/Low Country Defense was at the Maginot Line, which was a fortified area created to keep off advancing forces, so they attacked below at the Ardennes Forest. This tactic was successful, and the forces managed to gain control in the Low Countries near France and Spain throughout World War II.

Newspaper article about the Rainbow War Plans14. Japanese Invasion of French-IndochinaDate: September 24, 1940Description: During the outbreak of World War II, France controlled a set of colonies in Vietnam known as Indochina. Since Japan was at war with China, they wanted to control Indochina after France surrendered in June of 1940 to have bases from which they could attack China. Throughout the war, Japan slowly took over Indochina and indirectly had control of it until the end of the war.Map of French-IndochinaSasso, Claude R., and Tucker, Spencer C. "French Indochina: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. Newspaper article about President Roosevelt changing the Neutrality ActPhilip's Works Cited